Homeward Bound

The final two stops on our journey home from Ballina proved to be a hit and a miss.  Our first stop was the Harrington River Lodge overlooking the expansive Harrington River.  Garry and I stopped here several years ago and were duly impressed by the burgeoning planned community taking shape along the river bank. We were curious to see if our first impressions would hold up during a second visit.

I'm delighted to say that Harrington continues to impress us.  The community continues to flourish and the facilities have been well maintained.  We spent two relaxing nights here.  The sunset on the first night was undoubtedly a real highlight of our vacation.  Once again we were entertained by dolphins frolicking in the river's tranquil waters and pelicans balancing delicately on local street lamps.

However, the surprise highlight on our journey south was Nambucca Heads.  On a whim, we decided to take a brief detour and visit this seaside town.  The vista that greeted us as we pulled into a lookout on the headlands simply took our breath away. The town sits on the mouth of a picturesque river, punctuated by sweeping white sand bars. The headlands also include a small, sheltered lake nestled behind a coastal breakwater.  All in all, it was an impressive location.  We've decided we'll sneak back here soon for a long weekend.

Our final stop on our way to Sydney was Bannisters in Port Stephens.  Rick Steins has a popular seafood restaurant here and the hotel's review are punctuated by images of sublime coastal views.  However, our stay at this pricey upmarket motel-style resort proved disappointing. It was our most expensive accommodation yet delivered the least impressive experience. I honestly felt royally ripped off and was rather embarrassed I’d gifted Garry the cost of our stay for Christmas.

First, our ocean view room wasn't located on the building’s ocean-facing facade. Instead, we found ourselves sharing a barren marble clad balcony with three other rooms.  This meant the room offered limited privacy and our view of the neighbouring park’s trees wasn't worth the premium price we paid.  

Second, the hospitality staff’s service varied from excellent to downright mediocre. The service at breakfast both mornings was particularly woeful. We had to chase down the staff to get a coffee and cutlery. Identical meals arrived with missing accoutrements. The toast we ordered never arrived. In all honesty the breakfast we enjoyed in the mountains at Dorrigo was street ahead of Bannisters.

However, a few highlights stood out. Dinner at Rick Steins was superb, and our lunch at the Point Restaurant in nearby Soldier's Point was too. However, these culinary treats won’t tempt us back to Bannisters any time soon.

Finally, a quick note regarding the extraordinary events that have dominated headlines since 6 January.  We arrived in Harrington Waters as news broke of a mob storming the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump converged on the capital for a rally denouncing last November's presidential election results. On 6 January, Trump hosted a rally outside the White House where he repeated claims that the election he lost had been rigged.

As Congress began the electoral vote count, historically a symbolic ritual, thousands of attendees, some armed, walked to the Capitol. Chaos ensued, and hundreds eventually breached police perimeters, storming the building. Politicians fled in fear for their lives.  The images broadcast around the world simply beggared belief.

The rioters were eventually cleared from the Capitol, and the electoral vote count resumed later that evening. It was completed by the morning of January 7, with former Vice President Pence declaring the final electoral vote count in favour of President-elect Biden. A week after the attack, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for incitement of insurrection, making him the only U.S. president to be impeached twice.

Without a doubt, the last 12 months have been insane. A pandemic. An attempted insurrection in Washington, D.C. What comes next? No wonder we wanted a relaxing do-nothing vacation this Summer.